Examples Of Transcendentalism

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What exactly is transcendentalism? The term can be defined in many different ways considering the idea itself involves many different beliefs, such as the progressive views on feminism and the importance of nature. Transcendentalism was first articulated in the mid-1800s and began to grow over time until it lost popularity in the beginning of the 20th century. Many central figures helped spread the awareness of this movement including Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, who spoke of the importance of nature, simplicity, and nonconformity. Although the Transcendentalist Movement died out over nearly a century ago, American culture is still influenced by transcendentalism in the present day to the extent of having at least some form …show more content…
Thoreau believed that everyone should “let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand.” The point of simplicity is to provide us humans with a more productive lifestyle without numerous distractions. A perfect example of effectiveness through simplicity, along with another transcendentalist idea, civil disobedience, is with the Cuban Revolution. Fidel Castro disagreed with Batista’s way of ruling after he seized power, as did many others. However, instead of expressing his feelings over social media like many would do in the present day, Castro decided to do actually something about it. He chose not to conform with the majority and lead a revolution. Over time, Castro gained more followers and eventually won which led him to come to power. The lack of technology during this time period only strengthened his cause since physical actions were done instead, such as the assault on Moncada which may have been a failure but still showed his passionate determinism unlike a simple post across the internet would’ve. That’s the problem in today’s world, people have started to believe that expressing their views using technology is the same as nonconformity. Just a few years ago, a young man named Jefferson Bethke created a …show more content…
Some of the people that are able to accomplish civil disobedience the best are comedians. After writing an essay about humor, I learned through research how comedians are able to go against conformity and speak their own opinions. Their lighthearted aura allows them to say controversial statements that might otherwise get them into trouble if said seriously. These comedians rely only on their creativity to create jokes but still can effectively get their message across. Other forms of civil disobedience in American culture today are through certain protests. In particular, the protests regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline have showed true determinism similar to Castro’s. They know that the creation of the pipeline with affect the Sioux, a tribe located within North and South Dakota’s, primary drinking water. More people are becoming more involved in this situation after becoming aware only after the events that’d taken place, which include protesters that have had tear gas and water cannons targeted towards them by the police yet still remain
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